December 2, 2024
FILM: FLOW
DIRECTED BY: GINTS ZILBALODIS
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
You might remember that the Oscars changed the name of their Best Foreign Language Film Oscar to Best International Film a few years back. This bodes well for Flow, which is Latvia’s submission this year. The film has no dialogue, unless you consider (and you should) the communication skills of the various animated characters. The country has never had a nominated film but Flow might not only be in the running for Best International Film but also, rightfully so, as a Best Animated Feature nominee.
The excellent films begins with a cat trying to escape from barking dogs and other members of the animal kingdom. The cat is the primary character we follow and empathize with as he/she/they moves quickly to avoid any major confrontations. What’s really interesting about the cat and, frankly, all of the characters in the film is that they move and sound like what you would expect. The cat incessantly meows in a very heartfelt manner. The movements, whether it be swatting or licking, will be very familiar to anyone who has ever had a cat as a pet.
The big inciting incident occurs when a tsunami overtakes the land in which the cat, dogs, deer, and many other animals are currently living on. This is a very intense and beautifully animated sequence as our cat struggles to survive under water and on tree branches. Eventually the cat is joined by a dog who is also portrayed in all ways we’d expect a dog to be portrayed with incessant barking, a playful loving attitude, and a desire to be a friend. Eventually other animals become part of the cat’s world, including a materialist and possessive lemur, a giant bird, a capybara, and a large whale. Several of them wind up in a sailboat as they float through the new high waters thanks to the major flood.
One of the things I really liked about Flow is that it never attempts to give these animals human voices. Each speaks in the language we would associate with them. So, when a dog barks and the cat meows, we know they are speaking their own tongues and not trying to be depicted as some Disney-esque, human-like, creatures. This makes the film particularly effective for it suggests that different animals can work together and support each other despite their inability to understand what each is actually saying. What was the last film to attempt this?! Even the heavily touted Oscar favorite The Wild Robot doesn’t.
Throughout their harrowing adventure, we see them fight against what nature has caused. Sure, we might wonder if a cat can swim as well and as long as the cat does here but what the film is trying to say is that all species have a survival instinct when confronted with a major problem. It also suggests that different types can work together and should be able to do so in the midst of a traumatizing event.
Each of the characters has a very distinctive personality, as almost all animals must. So, even though we’re not hearing human voices, we can pick up what their desires and fears are. I think this says there is hope for differences on our planet. We just have to take the time to understand one another, as these creatures learn to do.
The animation is quite beautiful and the music score is intense and powerful. When the boat approaches a city that almost appears like a version of an Emerald City, the design of the structures is quite impressive. (They actually kind of look like an abandoned Emerald City from Wicked.) There are some mystical elements that get introduced later in the film that are a bit underdeveloped though and viewers might wonder if the animal kingdom could ever be as resourceful as these creatures are. Also, while the end is left a bit open to interpretation, the messages throughout the film are truly powerful. It is one of the best animated movies I’ve seen in a while.
Flow is currently playing in limited theatrical release. It opens in other cities, such as Chicago, later this week.
FILM: FLOW
DIRECTED BY: GINTS ZILBALODIS
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
You might remember that the Oscars changed the name of their Best Foreign Language Film Oscar to Best International Film a few years back. This bodes well for Flow, which is Latvia’s submission this year. The film has no dialogue, unless you consider (and you should) the communication skills of the various animated characters. The country has never had a nominated film but Flow might not only be in the running for Best International Film but also, rightfully so, as a Best Animated Feature nominee.
The excellent films begins with a cat trying to escape from barking dogs and other members of the animal kingdom. The cat is the primary character we follow and empathize with as he/she/they moves quickly to avoid any major confrontations. What’s really interesting about the cat and, frankly, all of the characters in the film is that they move and sound like what you would expect. The cat incessantly meows in a very heartfelt manner. The movements, whether it be swatting or licking, will be very familiar to anyone who has ever had a cat as a pet.
The big inciting incident occurs when a tsunami overtakes the land in which the cat, dogs, deer, and many other animals are currently living on. This is a very intense and beautifully animated sequence as our cat struggles to survive under water and on tree branches. Eventually the cat is joined by a dog who is also portrayed in all ways we’d expect a dog to be portrayed with incessant barking, a playful loving attitude, and a desire to be a friend. Eventually other animals become part of the cat’s world, including a materialist and possessive lemur, a giant bird, a capybara, and a large whale. Several of them wind up in a sailboat as they float through the new high waters thanks to the major flood.
One of the things I really liked about Flow is that it never attempts to give these animals human voices. Each speaks in the language we would associate with them. So, when a dog barks and the cat meows, we know they are speaking their own tongues and not trying to be depicted as some Disney-esque, human-like, creatures. This makes the film particularly effective for it suggests that different animals can work together and support each other despite their inability to understand what each is actually saying. What was the last film to attempt this?! Even the heavily touted Oscar favorite The Wild Robot doesn’t.
Throughout their harrowing adventure, we see them fight against what nature has caused. Sure, we might wonder if a cat can swim as well and as long as the cat does here but what the film is trying to say is that all species have a survival instinct when confronted with a major problem. It also suggests that different types can work together and should be able to do so in the midst of a traumatizing event.
Each of the characters has a very distinctive personality, as almost all animals must. So, even though we’re not hearing human voices, we can pick up what their desires and fears are. I think this says there is hope for differences on our planet. We just have to take the time to understand one another, as these creatures learn to do.
The animation is quite beautiful and the music score is intense and powerful. When the boat approaches a city that almost appears like a version of an Emerald City, the design of the structures is quite impressive. (They actually kind of look like an abandoned Emerald City from Wicked.) There are some mystical elements that get introduced later in the film that are a bit underdeveloped though and viewers might wonder if the animal kingdom could ever be as resourceful as these creatures are. Also, while the end is left a bit open to interpretation, the messages throughout the film are truly powerful. It is one of the best animated movies I’ve seen in a while.
Flow is currently playing in limited theatrical release. It opens in other cities, such as Chicago, later this week.